Much to my surprise I found myself yesterday evening not only attending Ashcott's 8th Beer Fest but also among the judges selecting the best beers.

It was family connection that took me there. My son's company Wham Ltd are sponsoring a beer, so when we arrived at Whitley Farm we were treated as farmyard VIPs.

Not knowing the ropes at all, I was taken aback to be asked to sit with this group of jolly and friendly people to taste and assess the entries. There are 38 beers at the Beer Fest coming from as far as Scotland and Cornwall, Suffolk and South Wales. There were three tables of judges, each tasting a third of the beers, and commending the best two for a final judgement by all the judges.

It was all low-tech and good-humoured - posh wine-tasters might not have felt at home - but there was a clear consensus on most of the beers. My son's sponsored brew, an ale from Ottery Brewery in Devon, won third place. There was no favouritism, honest! The beers came in identical anonymous numbered plastic gallon containers.

A rather good band was playing as I left at 9 p.m., and people were still arriving.

The Beer Fest supports a trio of good projects in Ashcott - the school, the playgroup and the playing fields. I hope it continues to be a great success.